The Movie Award Shows Rundown

One way that actors, directors, writers and other hardworking folks in the movie industry receive acclaim for their talent is through awards. Award shows are exciting events that allow movie lovers to catch a glimpse of their favorite celebrities while reliving some of the year's most noteworthy movie moments. There are a few key differences that make each movie award show stand apart, so study up on six of the biggest movie award shows and become an expert.

Academy Awards

The Academy Awards are more popularly known as the Oscars, and this awards show is coordinated and overseen by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). The first Academy Awards ceremony was held in 1929, and the ceremonies are now televised in more than 100 countries. Academy Award nominations are typically announced to the public in late January. AMPAS members vote to determine the winners. The awards show is usually held in late August. Academy Award categories include Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Director, Best Picture, Best Animated Feature and Best Original Screenplay. The Academy Award is a copper, silver and gold statue modeled after Mexican actor and director Emilio Fernandez. Popular Academy Awards hosts have included Bob Hope, who hosted 19 times, Billy Crystal, who hosted eight times, and Whoopi Goldberg, who hosted four times.

Screen Actors Guild Awards

The Screen Actors Guild is an American labor union that represents those in the film and television industry. Screen Actors Guild Awards have been presented since 1995 to recognize outstanding television and film performances. The first televised ceremony was held in 1998. Nominations are chosen by committee members, and all Screen Actors Guild members vote on the winners. Categories include Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture, Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role, Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role and Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture. The award, The Actor, is a nude male figure holding two masks, one of comedy and one of tragedy.

Golden Globe Awards

The Golden Globe Awards recognize excellence in the domestic and foreign film and television industries. The first ceremony was held in 1944, and the Golden Globe Awards have been held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. since 1961. The awards are broadcast to 167 countries throughout the world. Nominations and winners are chosen by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), a prestigious group of entertainment industry journalists with 93 members. Categories include Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actress in a Motion Picture Drama and Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama. The Golden Globe Award consists of a golden globe wrapped in strip of film with the initials "HFPA" on it. Popular Golden Globe Award Hosts include Ricky Gervais and Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, who co-hosted the event in 2013.

People's Choice Awards

The People's Choice Awards were first held in 1975 to award viewers' favorite actors, actresses, movies, television programs and more. The People's Choice Awards are televised on CBS. Nominees are determined based on ratings averages, box office sales and album sales. Winners are chosen by the general public through Gallup polls. People's Choice Award categories include Favorite All-Around Movie, Favorite Movie Actor, Favorite Leading Lady and Favorite On-Screen Match-Up. Popular hosts have included Tony Danza, Charlie Sheen, Queen Latifah and Kaley Cuoco.

Teen Choice Awards

The Teen Choice Awards are aired on Fox Network to recognize popular acts in movies, music, television, sports and fashion. Winners are determined by teen viewers aged 13 to 19, and movie categories include Best Villain, Best Fight, Best Lip-lock, Best Action Actress and Best Romantic Comedy Actor. Winners are given a full-size surfboard as their trophy. Popular hosts have included Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie, Dane Cook and Jessica Simpson, Miley Cyrus and Nick Cannon.

Kid's Choice Awards

The Kid's Choice Awards air on Nickelodeon to award the biggest movie, television and music acts of the year. Airing since 1988, the Kid's Choice Award winners are chosen by Nickelodeon viewer votes. Kid's Choice Awards categories include Favorite Movie, Favorite Movie Actor and Favorite Movie Actress. Kid's Choice Award winners receive an orange blimp-shaped trophy. Popular hosts have included Rosie O'Donnell, Jack Black, Josh Duhamel, Will Smith and Ben Stiller.

Movie award shows differ in a wide variety of ways. While some award shows have been in production for more than 80 years, others have only been around for a short time. Nominating methods vary widely, as does the voting process for choosing winners. Some award shows rely on industry votes, while others poll the viewers. The categories for which awards are given differ greatly, as do the awards themselves. The celebrities chosen to host the ceremonies are a diverse group, while a lucky few have hosted more than one show.